The Whitehead Institute requests $235,000 for the purchase of an nCounter" system from NanoString Technologies. The nCounter" system is a new approach to gene expression analysis that offers the data quality of Real-Time PCR with higher multiplexing, better throughput and lower cost. The nCounter" system will fill a niche for high throughput gene expression projects requiring mid-range multiplexing (50-500 hundred genes) in hundreds up to thousands of samples. This throughput range is not well served by traditional gene expression technologies like Real-Time PCR or microarrays. The system's unique detection technology also inspires proposals for novel applications where traditional technologies of RT-PCR and microarrays are inadequate. The nCounter" system will be integrated into the technology portfolio of the Whitehead Institute's Genome Technology Core (GTC). The GTC serves 20 labs at the Whitehead Institute and dozens more around the world and has a long history of successfully supporting shared instrumentation as a fee-for-service genome core facility. The nCounter system will complement existing gene expression analysis platforms based on microarrays and quantitative PCR to provide complete solutions for expression analysis projects of all sizes. PROJECT NARRATIVE: The ability to measure levels of gene expression in cells is a critical component of nearly every biomedical research project today. Traditional technologies for gene expression analysis are expensive, time consuming and suffer from a variety of technical limitations. The nCounter(tm) from NanoString is a revolutionary technology that will enable many research projects by providing a cheaper, faster and technically superior option for high throughput expression analysis.